Drawing on its Hollywood history, Ferragamo drafts filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher to direct its pre-fall campaign

In partnership with Ferragamo.

A cinematic sensibility has long defined Italian house Ferragamo: in 1923, its eponymous founder and shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo opened his first store opposite Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre on the burgeoning Hollywood Boulevard, having emigrated to Los Angeles from Italy in 1915. Creating footwear for a roll-call of golden-age stars – from Judy Garland to Marlene Dietrich – as well as working on set with legendary directors like Cecil B Demille, he fast established the moniker: ‘shoemaker to the stars’.

Over a century on, British designer Maximilian Davis picks up this mantle as creative director of Ferragamo, which now is as well known for its clothing and handbags as it is for its shoes (though, with a sprawling archive, atelier and workshop outside of Florence, footwear remains central to the house’s story). Earlier this month, Davis dressed an assembly of stars for the Met Gala – including Ayo Edebiri, LaKeith Stanfield, Kylie Jenner and Paloma Elsesser – in looks inspired by Ferragamo’s Hollywood roots.

Ferragamo Pre-Fall 2025 campaign, directed by Alice Rohrwacher

‘I find inspiration in the timeless artistry and innovation that Ferragamo represents,’ Davis said at the time. ‘The Met Gala is more than just an event; it is a celebration of creativity and individuality. As someone who embraces my own heritage and identity, I am honoured to continue the legacy of our founder, connecting the glamour and history of Hollywood with the passion and craftsmanship that define Ferragamo today.’

A Pre-Fall 2025 campaign, also released this month, mines Ferragamo’s cinematic history, drafting the Italian filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher to ‘direct’ the campaign, which spans a short film and a series of stills. (Davis leads the creative direction, while close collaborator Lotta Volkova styles the campaign). Swapping Hollywood for Cinecittà studios – the heart of Italian cinema, located in Rome and dubbed ‘Hollywood on the Tiber’ – its stars are the models Angelina Kendall and Giovanni Gherzi.

‘We wanted to create a story that felt very Italian but was based around Hollywood cinema,’ says Davis. ‘Alice has a very strong point of view, as well as a sense of humour and charm to her work. She can take a specific time and make it feel modern – and that’s exactly what we want to do.’

Rohrwacher, who is best known for ‘The Wonders’ (winner of the 2014 Cannes Grand Prix), ‘Happy as Lazarro’, and ‘La Chimera’, which starred Josh O’Connor, wanted to ‘pull back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes machinations and manual production techniques of the Golden Age,’ with the film, ‘celebrating the craft of filmmaking as well as that which forms the accessories playing starring roles’.

As such, products become the focus: whether a Gancini slingback being polished as Kendall has her face powdered, or the summery ‘L’Avventura’ chapter, where woven totes, cork-heeled sandals and mules become the focus. The final ‘Doppio Sogno’ chapter moves toward autumn, whereby Kendall and her ‘illusory twin’ set on a journey through the Tuscan countryside, brandishing the house’s new ‘Soft’ bag.

‘It becomes a bit more sensual in terms of the buttery soft leathers, patent printed croc and knitted dresses with bouclé finishes: it’s all about textures,’ says Davis, who designed for the films to be released throughout the season. ‘And a woman, riding her bike in a dress and a pump, is showing modern elegance in an Italian way: this is the Ferragamo woman as we see her today.’

ferragamo.com